The Chatham Park Podcast

This past March the long anticipated Chatham Park YMCA, part of the YMCA of the Triangle, opened its doors in the new NOVI community of Chatham Park. Hear from Forrest Perry, Vice President of Operations with the YMCA of the Triangle, and Caitlin Gleissner, Executive Director of the Chatham Park YMCA. We discuss what this Y means to Chatham County, and Chatham Park, and how it will serve the community in more ways than just a place to swim and gym!Recorded on April 15, 2025. https://www.ymcatriangle.org/locations/chatham-ymcachathampark.com

Welcome to season 4 of the Chatham Park Podcast! In this episode we catch up with what is happening in the Gateway to Chatham Park.  We talk movie nights, concerts, markets, food, entertainment, living in Chatham Park, and also what 79 Degrees West is, and how community is being built in this development. We also hear about Northwood Landing across the street from MOSAICTo donate or help with Chatham Cares, visit their website here:https://www.chathamcares.org/www.chathampark.comwww.mosaicatchathampark.com

On this episode of the Chatham Park Podcast, we are talking with Melissa Beard, Executive Director of the Chatham Outreach  Alliance, or CORA. Cora has been helping those in need in Chatham County since 1989 and today you will hear about what they are doing and more.  CORA's ultimate goal is to build a community without hunger by collecting and purchasing healthy food for distribution though their food pantry, related programs, and network of local partners. Also joining this conversation is Jordan Cheney. Jordan does incredible work with branding and  marketing for Chatham Park and also helped organize this month's food drive. If you happen to be listening to this episode after the food drive is over, fear not. CORA will take your help almost any day of the year. https://www.corafoodpantry.org/www.chathampark.comNon-Perishable Donations can be dropped off through November 20th at the Vineyards Sales and Information Center, 500 Vine Parkway, Pittsboro from 10-5 M-Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. 

In this episode we learn all about Rotary, Rotary International, and the local Rotary Club here in Pittsboro, NC when we sit down and talk with Connolly Walker, the President of the Pittsboro Rotary Club. The website of the Pittsboro Rotary:https://www.rotaryofpittsboro.org/The International Website of Rotary:https://www.rotary.org/enchathampark.comprestondev.com

A quick update about the 2023 Parade of Homes. Links below:https://triangleparade.com/about-the-paradechathampark.commosaicatchathampark.comhttps://www.ymcatriangle.org/chatham-park-ymcahttps://www.uprightbuilders.com/https://www.pulte.com/homes/north-carolina/raleigh/pittsboro/vineyards-at-chatham-park-210937https://www.uptonandco.com/https://www.davidweekleyhomes.com/new-homes/nc/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill/pittsboro/encore-at-chatham-park-villa-serieshttps://www.homesbydickerson.com/about-hbdhttps://www.tripointehomes.com/find-your-home/nc/raleigh/?type=neighborhoods&cities=Pittsborohttps://prewittcustomhomes.com/https://wagonerhomes.com/http://www.walkerbuild.com/https://www.garmanhomes.com/

Not since the announcement of Chatham Park as there been so much media buzz as when the YMCA announced that through a partnership with Preston Development Company, that a new state of the art YMCA facility was going to be built in Pittsboro, in the North Village Town Center of Chatham Park. We at Preston Development Company have a long history of building communities, and working with the YMCA has been a big part of that.Today you will hear from Vanessa Jenkins, Executive Vice President of Preston Development, Chuck Smith, Landscape Architect and Vice President of Planning for Preston, and Kurt Pfeifer, Project Landscape Architect with WithersRavenel, and Forrest Perry, Regional Vice President of the YMCA of the Triangle. This interview is the full version of segments released on WCHL, and you can find those shorter clips on the WCHL website or catch them on their radio station if you are in the triangle area. chathampark.comymcatriangle.orgdynadome.commosaicatchathampark.comPrestondev.com

n this episode you will hear several of the segments of interviews produced for WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC with Tim Smith, Julian "Bubba" Rawl and Vanessa Jenkins from Preston Development Company. They discuss the retail and restaurants in Chatham Park, Affordable Housing, and Amenities. Special thanks to Art Chansky and his team for producing these spots. This is Part 2 of a series that are also available at https://chathampark.com/gallery/ and at WCHL's website. 

In this episode you will hear several of the segments of interviews produced for WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC with Tim Smith, Julian "Bubba" Rawl and Vanessa Jenkins from Preston Development Company. They discuss the how Tim and Bubba met, their relationship over the years, and how Chatham Park came to be. Special thanks to Art Chansky and his team for producing these spots. This is Part 1 of a series that are also available at https://chathampark.com/gallery/ and at WCHL's website. 

In this episode we sit down with Wesley Hutchins and Jimmy Holland with McKim&Creed (https://www.mckimcreed.com/) and Vanessa Jenkins and Jake Smith with Preston Development Company (https://www.prestondev.com/) and discuss our Water Recovery Center, which recently won several awards. First was the 2022 Cleantech Innovation award for our impact on Water. This was awarded by the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, or the RTCC. The RTCC is working to help create sustainable communities through clean tech innovation and adoption. (https://www.researchtrianglecleantech.org/)We also received 2 awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina. The first is their 2023 Grand Award for Engineering Excellence in the Water and Environment category, and then we were surprised to learn we won the Henry A Stikes 2023 Grand Conceptor Award, which is the top award for all the projects that were recognized.  (https://www.acecnc.org/)Congratulations to all the folks that have worked on this project and made it possible, and to Tim Smith and Bubba Rawl who created the vision and have pushed to have this innovative technology incorporated into Chatham Park in Pittsboro. (https://chathampark.com/)

In this episode we learn about the new Paddles Swim & Pickleball club in Chatham Park in Pittsboro North Carolina, and interview Jackson Bowen of tennisbloc, who gives a great overview of the sport of Pickleball and why it is so popular. tennisbloc.comchathampark.compaddlesatchathampark.comFor a chance to win a bottle of Chatham Park Honey, send your podcast suggestions to podcast@chathampark.com

We have installed 2 Pollination Stations in Chatham Park to bring our honeybee population up to 8 hives at our Water Recovery Center, and 3 horizontal hives at MOSAIC. Hear all about them, more about beekeeping and honey production, and other interesting information on pollinators from Master Beekeeper Jody Moore of Rocky River Bees. Episode Recorded on May 13, 2022. rockyriverbees.comchathampark.comprestondev.com

Our Guest Kirk Bradley is the Chairman, President, and CEO of Lee-Moore Capital Company, developers of the MOSAIC project and Northwood Landing. Kirk recently was awarded the Pillar award from the Triangle Business Journals 2022 Space Awards. He truly is a visionary and a trendsetter, and you can hear in this episode just how plugged into Central North Carolina he is, and how he desires to bring growth and opportunities to this region. We get an update on the MOSAIC and Northwood Landing projects, as well as learn about some of the innovative things still to come in MOSAIC, including 79º West, an innovation and co-working lab that will be in Building H, which as of March 2022 is under construction. Websites for more information on items mentioned in this podcast:https://www.mosaicatchathampark.comhttps://chathampark.comhttps://innovate.unc.eduhttps://www.lmoc.net©2022 Preston Development Company. No part of this podcast may be reproduced without written consent from Preston Development Company. 

In this episode we talk with Jessica Mashburn, Exective Branch Directory of the Chatham County Y, part of the YMCA of the Triangle. They have a Leprechaun Run 5K/10K that is happening on Saturday, March 12, 2022 in Chatham Park. We also discuss what services the Y is currently providing in Chatham County. Links for more information:https://www.ymcatriangle.org/programs/sports-adult/leprechaun-dash-5k10khttps://www.ymcatriangle.org/locations/chatham-ymcaTo reach Jessica directly with questions about the Y's programs, you can email here at:Jessica.Mashburn@YMCATriangle.orgFor suggestions, comments, or questions, email us at:podcast@chathampark.com

A recap of some major happenings in the Chatham Park Development in 2021, and a few interviews as we check in with Thales Academy, Southern Energy Management, and MOSAIC.Links to topics mentioned in the show:https://chathampark.comThe EcoSelect report mentioned by Jamie Hager of Southern Energy Management:https://chathampark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Chatham_Park_Q3-Sustainability-Report.pdfSouthern Energy Management:https://southern-energy.comThales Academy:https://www.thalesacademy.orgAmerica at Home Study - Garman Homes "Barnaby"https://chathampark.com/garman-homes-breaks-ground-on-america-at-home-study-concept-home/Strata Solar:https://www.stratasolar.comRocky River Bees:https://rockyriverbees.comPollinators in Chatham Park Video:https://vimeo.com/642760526MOSAIC:https://www.mosaicatchathampark.comcontact us at:podcast@chathampark.com

A virtual tour of Chatham Park with a focus on the 2021 Parade of Homes.The 2021 Parade of Homes is held over the first 3 weekends in October. Chatham Park has 3 entries in the Parade, and two of them are open for tours. Here are the links for everything mentioned in this episode:https://triangleparade.comhttps://chathampark.comhttps://www.mosaicatchathampark.comhttps://pittsboronc.govhttps://www.lee-associates.com/properties/?propertyId=chatham-park-commerce-center&address=Eubanks-Road&officeId=4039https://robertcmorris.comhttps://rockyriverbees.comhttps://www.tripointehomes.comhttps://www.davidweekleyhomes.comhttps://www.garmanhomes.comhttps://www.lennar.comhttps://www.homesbydickerson.comhttps://www.pulte.comhttps://www.uptonandco.comhttp://prewittcustomhomes.comhttp://www.walkerbuild.comhttp://uprightbuilders.comhttps://www.aexplorers.comhttps://www.thalesacademy.orghttps://americaathomestudy.comhttps://edwinwhitedesigns.comhttps://www.refuelmarket.comhttps://www.lowesfoods.com

In this episode we interview Jody Moore, Master Bee Keeper and owner of Rocky River Bees in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Jody will be overseeing the installation and management of honey bee hives in Chatham Park, and we discuss this and other pollinators, along with some other aspects of beekeeping and the importance of bees in the environment, the challenges they face, and what you can do to help them with your own landscaping choices at your place of residence. Links:https://chathampark.comhttps://rockyriverbees.com

In this episode we interview Alaina Money-Garman, co-owner of Garman Homes on location at the Barnaby America at Home Study Concept Home and discuss what this home is all about. This was an active construction site on the tail end of a 60 day build, and we had some issues recording the last part of the interview because we didn't want the workers to stop just so we could record. That is life in the fast lane when you have a deadline!The AMERICA AT HOME study was a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, aged 25-74 years of age, with household incomes of $50,000+/year, conducted online (Wave 1: April 2020, 3,001 responses and Wave 2: October 2020, 3,935 responses). It directly tested consumer sentiment in light of COVID-19 to understand the design changes consumers want in new homes and communities. (source: https://americaathomestudy.com)Garman Homes is a North Carolina based homebuilder. Owned by Jim Garman and Alaina Money-Garman, they are in the business of building exceptional homes surrounded by an exceptional team of people. https://www.garmanhomes.comwww.chathampark.comhttps://vineyardsatcp.com

In this interview, Vanessa Jenkins and Bill Oestereich sit down with Jamie Hager of Southern Energy Management. Entering her 21st year in the construction industry, Jamie has served multiple roles in housing -- building as a construction supervisor, managing green building programs, performing inspections and performance testing for multiple high performance home programs, training builders and sales agents on green building strategies, and providing continuing education courses as an approved instructor for both the NC General Contractors Licensing Board and NC Association of Realtors.   As the Green Building Specialist at Southern Energy Management, she engages daily with builders and developers on and off site to help them identify cost saving, healthy, market focused strategies to improve the durability and energy performance of their homes and communities.  Jamie is proud to be part of the Southern Energy Management team, an established NC renewable energy and building science firm leading the change since 2001 with over 2000 solar solar system installs and 30,000+ single family homes and apartments rated and certified to date.  Jamie is also excited to represent housing's role in sustainable energy solutions as a past Chair of the High Performance Building Council of the Triangle, as well as serving as a member of the Planning Board in Chatham County NC.  She's a fast talker, so hold on to your seats and get ready for the download. https://southern-energy.comhttps://chathampark.com

We interview Ashly Johnson, Director Of Community Outreach at Strata Solar and talk about Solar Power Plants, and the Tinker Farm in Chatham Park. Tinker Farm is a 5 megawatt AC/7 megawatt DC Solar Power Plant located off Moncure Pittsboro road on the Chatham Park project. It has been in operation for a couple of years now providing enough electricity to power over 700 homes. Founded in 2008 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina by Markus and Cathy Wilhelm, Strata Solar first focused on the residential solar thermal market, later moving into commercial rooftop PV,(Photo Voltaic) before becoming a leader in full-scale utility solar projects.www.stratasolar.comwww.chathampark.com

In this episode, we talk with Johanna Murphy, Headmaster of the Thales Academy that is currently under construction and will be the first school in the Chatham Park development. We discuss what make a Thales education different, and what a typical school day and year looks like, as well as what tuition costs at this fantastic private school. You can find out more at www.thalesacademy.org www.chathampark.com

In this episode we talk to Jake Smith with Preston Development Company on the status of the Knight Farm Community Park, and Jody Leidolf with Montgomery Development Carolina Corp. on the MOSAIC development and Northwood Landing. We also discuss residential construction progress and other happenings in Chatham Park in Pittsboro, North Carolinawww.chathampark.comwww.mosaicatchathampark.com

There is more to stormwater management than meets the eye. This episode we sit down with WithersRavenel stormwater expert Hunter Freeman to discuss the Chatham Park Project and how managing stormwater in a large project is crucial to preserving the natural resources as best we can while managing growth and providing places for people to live, work, play and learn. Also joining us is Vanessa Jenkins and Chuck Smith from Preston Development Company. This actual interview took place last fall, and as of the release date of this episode we are still receiving above average rainfall in North Carolina. https://withersravenel.comhttps://chathampark.com

In this episode, part of the Preston Development Company team talks with Fresh Paint by Garman homes about a home product that is new to the Triangle, the Cottages in Chatham Park. For more information, including renderings and details on this product, check out the links below. This podcast was recorded on Thursday, April 30th, 2020.https://www.freshpaintbygarman.com/communities/pittsboro/chatham-parkhttps://www.chathampark.com/https://www.prestondev.com/

In this episode, recorded over Zoom during the Covid-19 Pandemic, we discuss the importance of Greenways and Open Space in development, and how the landscape has changed in the ways that Greenways, Parks, and trails are now viewed when it comes to amenities in large scale developments and cities around the country. Our guest Chuck Flink has forgotten more about Greenways than I will ever know. Hear all about these linear parks coming to Chatham Park in this episode!Notes and Links:The Greenway Imperative: Connecting Communities and Landscapes for a Sustainable Future, Charles A. Flink, University Press of Florida, March 2020 (Amazon.com)(https://www.amazon.com/Greenway-Imperative-Connecting-Communities-Sustainable/dp/1683401158/ref=pd_rhf_pe_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P37ZJ9V5ZNWHWV9FP9FT)American Trails (americantrails.org)Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (railstotrails.org)East Coast Greenway (greenway.org)#ChathamPark #HawRiver #Greenways #Covid-19 

In this episode we talk with Tom D'Alesandro about Master Plan Developments, their history, where some good examples are located today, and what the future holds for their design. www.chathampark.com

This quick update gives you information on what is happening on the ground in the Chatham Park development in Pittsboro, NC as of the last week in February 2020. Links to things mentioned in the Podcast. Preservation North Carolina: www.presnc.orgChatham Park: www.chathampark.comPreston Development Company: www.prestondev.comMosaic: www.mosaicatchathampark.com

In this episode I sat down with Tim Baldwin and Bryan Blake of McKim & Creed. https://www.mckimcreed.com/We discussed Chatham Parks first Water Recovery Center, a decentralized waste water treatment center that produces reclaim water from waste water. It is currently under construction on the east side of Pittsboro, NC. This facility is an integral part of the infrastructure required to bring a project like Chatham Park to life and also to make the best use of one of our most precious resources, water.  

Episode 1 - Mosaic at Chatham ParkIn this episode I interview John Fugo and Kirk Bradley of the ECO Group as they discuss their latest project, Mosaic at Chatham Park. A mixed use residential, retail, and commercial project that is the gateway to Chatham Park. Construction began in the spring of 2019 and is ongoing. Build out is expected to be complete by late 2023.Mosaic at Chatham Park is located in Pittsboro, NC. You can find information about Chatham Park Here:www.chathampark.comYou can find information about Mosaic at Chatham Park Here:www.mosaicatchathampark.com